Adrianopolis
Bekenial (Officially: City of Bekenial, formerly known as Adrianopolis) is the capital of the province of Adelia and of the nation of Athlorcaea, and subsequently its largest city. It is located on various islands. It was known as Bekenial City until its invasion by the Confederation of the United People of Hutori, and was renamed as such after the disbandment of the PRCP. It is also known as The Big Apple and The Citystate. Location and Climate The City is located in the south-eastern part of Adelia, and it borders the ocean. Because of its location near the ocean, Adrianopolis enjoys a cooler climate than the rest of Adelia. The average temperature during summer is a pleasant 23°C. During winter temperatures drop to an average of -3°C. Blizards occur nearly every year as snowclouds from the south and from the mountains to the north collide above the city. Its postal code is 2050. History Founding and Importance Bekenial City was founded in 1625 by settlers from Luthori. Its name is derived from Jason B. Bekenal who lead the settlers to the set of islands on which the city is located. Although the city had no specific importance back then, the discovery of nearby ruins left by the Mashacara lead to an increase in importance and population. In 2036 the city was declared the capital of Adelia by the new, democratic government of Hutori. Growth and Development During the next 500 years the city would continue to grow and prosper, but all this came to an abrupt end in October 2563. On this date the province of Lagard seceded from the rest of Hutori, and the Second Civil War of Hutori began. Second Hutori Civil War, Adrianopolis The City fell to the Confederation of the United People of Hutori in October 2566, three years after the start of the war. The city itself was completely destroyed. It was at this moment that Bekenial City ceased to exist and the City of Adrianopolis came into existence. In a local ceremony, the city was renamed in honour of Michael Hadrianos, leader of the People's Revolutionary Communist Party. Michael Hadrianos appointed Jane Lahaut as mayor of the city, and charged her with reconstructing it in ten years. Michael Hadrianos himself would later be murdered while taking a tour through the city, on October 12, 2570. In his honour, Jane Lahaut errected a statue called Victory of the Brave. Reconstruction As promised, Jane Lahaut and her successor, the son of Michael Hadrianos, Ioannes Hadrianos, who is current mayor, finished the reconstruction of the city, several days short of the deadline. The City is once again a major hub of commerce and a focal point of fashion, and everything trendy. In 2582 following the betrayal of the Confederation by Darnussian forces, the city was captured. Not much has changed since the conservatives have taken over, the communist statues remain standing there because of the Governor's love for art. Even the Mayor himself has been allowed to operate freely. Several months later the city was again retaken by Confederate forces, to the grand delight of the population. The city became the capital of Hutori in january 2583, after the complete destruction of New Bestat by several nuclear weapons. Population Explosion After the nuclear destruction of much of Athlorcaea, the city of Adrianopolis became the sole large, still-standing city in the nation. Over 6 million people fled to the city in the years following the nuclear ravage, doubling the population in 5 years. Cityscape Bekenial is divided into five distinct cads (derived from City of Bekenial District), Albion, Monroe, Brookhaven, Jefferson and Durham Island, and a seperate, small island, Freedom Island. Albion Pictured in blue, Albion is the main business center of the City. Albion itself is also the largest of the five cads as it houses about 4.5 million of Bekenial's citizens. Albion houses nearly all of the city's skyscrapers, with the Amsterdam Tower being the highest at 381 m (1,250 ft). The tower was named after Amsterdam Street, which runs past the tower's entrance. In this cad, City Hall and the Palace of Justice are also located, as well as the Provincial Parliament. Albion itself is one of the richest places in Athlorcaea, with the average income per citizen estimated at 36,000 ATP/Year. (Athlorcaea has an average income per citizen of 20,000 ATP/Year) Albion is the beating heart of the city, with most shops and businesses located there. It is the home of the Rich and Famous of Adrianopolis, including the residence of the Mayor. Albion also organises the New Year's Celebration that is known throughout the world, it takes place at Spatial Place, a few blocks from the Amsterdam Tower. Going to Albion is commonly used as a way to describe the quest for wealth. Monroe Pictured in yellow, Monroe is the second largest cad of Bekenial. This cad is home to roughly 4 million of the city's residents. Originally a city on its own, Monroe joined Bekenial City in 2056, in an effort to facilitate commute and cooperation. Monroe became the main residential area of Bekenial City. Monroe is known mostly for its neo-gothic, art-deco and art-nouveau houses, which are very common in Monroe's streets. It is also known for its annual Thanksgiving Parade which attracts visitors from all over Athlorcaea. Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated only in Adelia but costs aren't spared when organising the parade. One of the most famous districts in Monroe is the DUAB district. DUAB stands for Down Under the Albion Bridge. The Albion Bridge was one of the first bridges to connect Monroe to Albion, and allow commuters to easily access the business districts of Albion. In recent times, more and more wealthy people have been coming to Monroe to search for housing, as the city is rapidly expanding. This in turn causes prices to rise and the migration wave of poor and middle-class families from Monroe to Brookhaven has slowly but steadily expanded. Jefferson Pictured in red, Jefferson is the third largest cad of Adrianopolis. It is a residential area, but one of the poorer areas of the city. As one of the poorer areas of the city, Jefferson has a lot of rundown and empty buildings. Despite this, its total population does number 3,125,000. In recent years, the city administration has been working to improve overall conditions in Jefferson and is succeeding at a slow pace. This cad became the prime location for refugees to move into after the nuclear destruction of Athlorcaea. Jefferson is also the birthplace of rap music, which was invented by the local Mestizo population to voice their malcontent over the local situation. Brookhaven Pictured in orange, Brookhaven is the fourth largest cad of Bekenial. Just like Monroe, Jefferson and Durham Island, this cad is a residential area. Brookhaven houses roughly 950,000 citizens, but this number is rapidly rising due to the migration wave coming from Monroe. It is also the place where most foreigners arrive in Bekenial, as it houses the city's two airports. The larger airport, Francis International Airport is located in the south, the smaller airport, L'Adelié is located in the north. FIA receives about 45 million passengers per year, LA roughly 25 million. Brookhaven is also known for its many bridges that connect it to Albion. One of them being the Queensboro Bridge. Durham Island Pictured in purple, Durham Island is the smallest cad (in population terms). Although an island, it is an official part of Bekenial. The main difference between Durham Island and the rest of the city is the fact that the Island is very calm, and feels more like a village. It is therefore often referred to as The Village of the City. 675,000 people call Durham Island their home, and because the island is so large, population density is fairly low, with almost all people living in regular houses. Durham Island is connected to the City proper by both a ferry service and several bridges. Freedom Island Freedom Island is a small island which lies south of Albion but is not a part of any of the cads, nor is it a cad itself. The official term to describe it is Cultural Heritage District. The island is the home of one of the most famous landmarks of Athlorcaea, the Statue of Liberty. Built in 1868 the Statue welcomes visitors and immigrants to the city. On the inside of the base, this famous poem is carved into the stone: The poem was written by the deceased Turjan Matisse and was carved into the stone when the city was taken over by the Confederation of the United People of Hutori. The Tablet that the statue is holding depicts the date of Bekenial City's foundation. July IV, MDCXXV Politics The Adrianopolis Syndrome Because of its location deep within conservative Adelia, many people would expect the city to be very conservative as well, this however, is hardly the case. Because it is a city of the world with many diverse religions and ethnic groups, the city is very progressive, regularly voting Communists or Greens into the City Assembly. This phenomenon has been dubbed The Adrianopolis Syndrome by the conservatives in and around the city. In national elections, many Adelian votes that go to the Liberal-Democratic Party and the Modern Revolutionary Socialist Party are votes cast in Adrianopolis. For example; Of the LDP's 8,822,266 Adelian votes (May 2776), roughly 3,970,019 (45%) were cast in Bekenial. Of the MRSP's 15,197,017 Adelian votes (May 2776), roughly 3,039,403 (20%) were cast in Bekenial. This means that an estimated 24,019,283 citizens, or 50%, of the total population eligible to vote of 48,026,129 (May 2776) voted progressively. Mayors The following is a list of the city's mayors since its capture by the Confederation of the United People of Hutori. {| border="1" |'Name' |'Start of Term' |'End of Term' |'Party' |- | Jane Lahaut | October 2566 | October 2570 | People's Revolutionary Communist Party |- | Ioannes Hadrianos | October 2570 | November 2574 | People's Revolutionary Communist Party |- | Janet Mencius | November 2574 | August 2578 | Future Generation Green Party |- | Connor Truinnean | August 2578 | October 2587 | People's Revolutionary Communist Party |- | Masuyo Lautensis | October 2587 | Incumbent | People's Revolutionary Communist Party |- Category:Athlorcaea Category:Cities of Athlorcaea